The most difficult decision of Morgan Tuck's basketball career is finally beginning to make her feel good about herself and her future with the UConn women's basketball team.

Lingering pain in her right knee severely limited her effectiveness the first half of last season and caused her to miss 12 of the Huskies' first 20 games. A frustrating uncertainly left her unsure of when she could practice or play.

With the Huskies in the midst of another undefeated season and headed toward an historic ninth national championship, Tuck decided to undergo season-ending surgery Jan. 30. UConn survived its lack of depth without her, and she now seems on target to play a full season without the knee problems.

"Right now, my knee's felt the best it has in a really long time,'' Tuck said. "It sucked to miss the majority of last season. I think that was the hardest decision, but I think in the end it was worth it. Something that's nice to think about is we still didn't lose whether I played or not, so I think it was the right decision because now I can try to get a full season. I haven't played a full season without being (injured), so hopefully I can stay healthy now."

Tuck missed only four games as a freshman, but a knee bruise kept her out of some practices and never allowed the 6-foot-2 forward to fully showcase her skills as a versatile post player.

Last season as a sophomore, she re-injured the knee. An MRI showed cartilage damage requiring arthroscopic surgery on Nov. 12 for stabilization. When she returned, however, the knee continued swelling. Her availability turned into a perpetual day-to-day situation.

While she could have waited until the season was over to have more surgery, the five to six months needed for rehab would have put her return close to the start of the coming season. She would have been testing the readiness of the knee unsure of her role on the team. She didn't want to deal with that, so she had surgery in January and gained an extra year of eligibility through a medical hardship waiver.

Tearing her ACL in high school was less frustrating for Tuck because she came back to play at a high level and didn't question her

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knee. The recovery from her college injuries has been more complex and tedious because the bone has to heal fully to prevent inflammation.

The knee appears to be in good shape now. Team athletic trainer Rosemary Ragle said this week Tuck has been running and has "started a controlled progression" that includes cutting and increased plyometrics. Ragle said Tuck won't take part in any pickup games yet, because they want to take advantage of the fact she has time to heal and rehab properly.

She said Tuck, who has remained in Connecticut this summer to rehab, is on pace to start playing when all the players return to school in September and begin preseason workouts.

"I wanted to make sure that I could do the full preseason and not have to worry about my knee hurting or if I have rehab or something like that," Tuck said. "So I should definitely be good by the fall. I'm just really excited to be able to do what everyone else is doing and then be able to try to solidify a spot on the team.''

The Huskies could definitely use Tuck's size and athleticism in the post. With Stefanie Dolson moving on to the WNBA, the team is relying on 6-3 senior center Kiah Stokes to carry the load inside so that 6-4 junior forward Breanna Stewart can continue to use her versatility all over the court.

Tuck, who averaged 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in eight games last season, is the only other player on the team over 6-foot available for this season. Natalie Butler, a 6-5 center, transferred to UConn from Georgetown, but has to sit out this season per NCAA rules.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Tuck has been working hard and has looked great during the off-season. Her teammates are also encouraged. Moriah Jefferson said she's shown a lot of commitment and focus, and players can always hear her voice in the background telling them to play hard.

"I'm definitely excited about how Morgan is going to come back," Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis said. "I know she is going to come back confident, and right now she is working hard. She's progressing just the way we thought she would, and I'm not worried if she is going to be the same Morgan Tuck. I think she is going to come back great."

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